Very difficult to shift into Neutral

[Rivergator]

In the next couple of days I will tinker with the adjustment (flex tool etc) or I will just take the carb off the engine, it's easy enough, and open it up and make sure everything is perfect and make the initial adjustment again (1 1/4 turn back from 0) and then do the final fuel/air adjustment on the water like the manual says. Thanks everybody. I will report back

 

[Scott06]

In the next couple of days I will tinker with the adjustment (flex tool etc) or I will just take the carb off the engine, it's easy enough, and open it up and make sure everything is perfect and make the initial adjustment again (1 1/4 turn back from 0) and then do the final fuel/air adjustment on the water like the manual says. Thanks everybody. I will report back

you need to adjust it while running so figure out a way to get in there with a flex driver or smaller fingers...

equally important while you adjust it is if you go way lean or way rich the engine should start stumbling at either extreme, if it doesnt carb is clogged and need rebuild

 

[Lou C]

If you want your adjustments to be accurate:
get the flex tool
set it where it will run on land
put the boat in the water
then adjust the mixture and idle speed, because a marine exhaust system has back pressure that is not present while running the boat on land, and my experience suggests that you will get a smoother running engine doing it that way.
And if you have a clean carb, good igniton system, there is no reason why you cannot get it running at 600 rpm. Mine will still run at 500, and when I trigger the OMC ESA interrupt switch, it drops to 450 rpm, but does not stall!
this is with a points ignition system and the original 36 year old Quadrajet, and original fuel tank! So you can do it too!

 

[Rivergator]

Yes Lou, when I get my mercarb rebuild kit I will give this carb the treatment. All new parts, O-rings, gaskets and seals and I am sure these problems will be solved. A small hick up compared to the whole project. Even though stuff like that is annoying, it's also challenging and fulfilling when it's all done. That's exactly what I plan to do, make the initial setting on the trailer and run it with muffs and then fine tune the fuel/air mixture screw in the water